STM317 said:
In reply to Gingerbeardman :
How is offering a new option in a free market even close to forcing you "into the brave new world"?
Nobody is forcing anybody to buy a new vehicle at all, and if you choose to do that, nobody is forcing you to buy an electric one, especially if it's not viable for you.
I don't get why EVs are always so polarizing for people. Not all those who like EVs are liberal elites soy boys that live on the coasts, and not all EV detractors are coal rolling rubes from the middle of nowhere. They're a relatively new technology, and like any technology there are benefits and drawbacks. All any of us can do is inform ourselves about the benefits and drawbacks, assess how well they might work for our specific situation, and make purchasing decisions accordingly.
If you have to tow a ton of weight all the time, an EV isn't currently the best option. If you drive hundreds of miles per day, an EV isn't currently the best option. If you can't charge at home, an EV isn't currently the best option. The reality is that most people don't tow tons of weight all the time. Most people drive under 50 miles per day. Most people have access to charging where they live, or at least could have it installed without much effort. The current crop of EVs is enough for most people. With more time and money the products will continue to improve and the number of cases where they're not viable will shrink. They may never be the right tool for every job, but that doesn't make them bad or threatening. More choice only benefits consumers.
The consumer options aren't forcing me/us, it's the "mandatory" requirements for the "enviro" and safety-nanny tech, which is backdooring more autonomous tech and forcing electric down our throats. Not sure if you've noticed, but you and I don't get to vote on this crap and we're not funding lobbyists to write these bills...that would be the corporations doing that.
EV's aren't new at all...the first vehicles were electric. Battery tech has gotten better, but it's still not even 75% of what ICE can do. I'm not married to any specific technology or platform, but I'm damned sure not going to give up my ability to get around because a bunch of Left Coast or East Coast urbanites are forcing a non-solution on me.
And that is the major crux for me, the teeming masses in the cities think they know what's best for the entire country, while they live in teeming E36 M3holes filled with corruption, broken infrastructure and dying industries. If they know so much, they'd be ahead of the curve, not limping along swapping interchangeable cogs.
You're making some mighty big claims there about EV fitting the majority of folks needs...I disagree, yet somehow because of my rural viewpoint and requirements, I'm the one who's wrong. The person making the claim bears the brunt of proving the assertion. I can back my points up with facts, data and opinion.